Mobile visuals will overtake PS4 and Xbox One by 2018, claims ARM

Smartphone and tablet titles will be graphically superior to the current generation of consoles within two years.

That’s the bold claim from chip manufacturer ARM, which said that as mobile hardware already exceeds the visuals of the PS3 and Xbox 360, portable devices would surpass PS4 and Xbox One by the end of 2017.

Speaking on-stage at Casual Connect, ecosystem director Nizar Romdan did acknowledge that consoles wouldn’t be going away any time soon, as battery and design limitations stop smartphones and tablets from completely replacing the traditional living room boxes (via GI).

He did, however, add his assertion that virtual reality powered by mobile hardware would attract a greater number of PC and console players across to portable platforms.

"Mobile VR is the use case that could unlock the potential of mobile for hardcore gamers," Romdan explained.

"For once, mobile devices are on par with PC and consoles in terms of experience. We won't have the same processing, and battery life is a problem. But it is the same user experience – that could be a game changer for mobile gaming."